


Orchard

by serendipitous_rambles



Category: Anne of Green Gables - L. M. Montgomery, Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Bash and mary ship it, F/M, First Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2019-09-11
Packaged: 2020-10-14 20:16:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20606690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/serendipitous_rambles/pseuds/serendipitous_rambles
Summary: Gilbert and Anne take a walk in the Blythe orchard.//"Remember the day we first met?"His hand subconsciously went to the side of his head, "How could I forget?""You had an apple from this orchard and you kept trying to give it to me. You wouldn't give up."





	Orchard

* * *

It was a crisp spring afternoon as Anne skipped along merrily, swinging the basket of baked goods courtesy of Marilla (and herself) lightly as she went.

Usually she would begrudgingly accept this errand, but given the time of year she simply couldn't pass up the opportunity to revel in the first few blossoms of the year. She had been tasked with sending over a gift of pastries and cakes for Mary and Bash (and she supposed Gilbert…) to congratulate them on their new addition to their little family. 

Gilbert had excitedly told her about the new baby when they were leaving school for the day, knowing she would be thrilled. Anne took any chance to hear more about Bash and Mary, and whilst Gilbert was thrilled at her actually talking to him, he couldn't lie that he didn't feel the tiniest bit of jealousy that it wasn't _ him _she wanted to hear about.

Before Anne knocked on the door, she caught sight of her reflection in the window. Her hair truly was the bane of her existence and if being red wasn't bad enough, it was prone to getting tangled by the wind. Quickly she tucked the flyaway strands begin her ears and adjusted her hat, finally knocking on the door. It's not like she was fixing her appearance for Gilbert's sake, she was just…. making sure she looked nice in case she saw the baby. First impressions were everything after all, she couldn't have their first meeting being marked by her disheveled appearance. And if Gilbert just so happens to see her, then so what? She'd do just the same if it were Cole or Diana…

The door opened and she smiled brightly, a tired looking Bash trying to return the smile. 

"Anne of Green Gables, what gives us the pleasure?"

"Marilla and I baked some things for you and Mary. I can imagine a newborn baby doesn't leave much time for baking." She held up the basket.

"Oh, well that's very kind of you." He took the basket and stepped aside, "I think Blythe is around here somewhere."

Anne shook her head, "That's alright I came to see you and Mary."

"Please, come in. I know he'll be happy to see you."

Anne stepped inside, pretending she hadn't heard Bash's last comment.

As they stepped into the small kitchen, Mary looked up from the stove. "Anne, what brings you by?"

"Marilla and I thought you would like some baked goods." She gestured to the basket Bash was holding.

"Well thank you, I barely have time for cooking lately. But Gilbert's been a big help. Wish I could say the same about _ other _ people." Mary playfully glared at Bash.

Anne laughed, admiring how happy and comfortable they were around each other. She hoped one day she could be that happy.

From the other room, she heard a muffled cry but it grew louder as Gilbert appeared with a crying baby in his arms. Anne didn't know how to handle this, seeing Gilbert with a baby. He was gently rocking the infant, holding the head carefully. It was a different side of him she'd never really considered. She looked away before she started staring.

"I've tried calming her but I think she's hungry." He said.

Mary stretched out her arms, taking the baby from Gilbert. "I got it. Thank you Gilbert. Bash can you watch the stove, and _ don't _burn the house down."

Bash raised his arms defensively and replaced Mary at the stove.

"Anne." Gilbert smiled, and she was still in a state of shock. "It's good to see you."

She didn't know what to do and just smiled back awkwardly. She knew she had to say something, "Can I help you Bash?" She pushed past Gilbert to reach the stove.

"I've got it handled." Bash laughed at her eagerness, glancing over at Gilbert. He mouthed something to the boy who shook his head quickly, but Anne had caught him.

"In fact, Gilbert was just telling me about how much you love the spring blossoms." 

"Bash-" Gilbert tried to protest. He had indeed been talking about how nice the weather was today, and it just so happened that Anne had come up in that conversation. But she didn't need to know that.

"You should show her the orchard, prettiest blossoms in all of Avonlea." Bash said proudly.

"She's probably busy, I'm sorry Anne."

She shook her head, how could she pass up seeing them now? "No, I'd love to see the blossoms. If that's alright." 

Gilbert nodded, leading Anne out the door - but not before casting a stern look at Bash who simply laughed it off, knowing exactly what he had been planning.

"Sorry about Bash." Gilbert nervously laughed, shoving his hands in his pockets as they walked down the little path towards the orchard. "He's…tired."

"I should imagine so." Anne played with her hands, unsure what to do with them now the basket was gone. "Babies are tiring."

"Do you have experience with them?" He wondered if maybe he shouldn't have asked, he didn't know how comfortable Anne was with talking about life before Green Gables.

"Mrs Hammond had two sets of twins," she sighed, "and they were always crying. But I can't blame them, living in a house like that with parents who don't care."

They had made their way down the path, approaching the little wooden gate. Anne had never been there before, almost forgetting Gilbert even owned an orchard. But then a memory came back into her mind at seeing a red apple hanging from a tree and she laughed softly to herself.

He tilted his head, smiling fondly at her. Anne's laugh wasn't something he got to see often for himself, usually he would see her laughing with Diana or the other girls, but not with him. "What's so funny?"

"I'm afraid you'll think me horrid."

"I could never think that." The way he was looking at her made her falter a moment, forgetting what she was about to say.

But then she shook her head, looking away from his gaze to regain her thoughts. "Remember the day we first met?"

His hand subconsciously went to the side of his head, "How could I forget?"

"You had an apple from this orchard and you kept trying to give it to me. You wouldn't give up." She laughed, remembering what happened next.

"So you hit me with your slate?"

"In my defense you had been very rude and insulted my hair."

"Only because I couldn't even get you to look at me." He laughed, reaching up and picking one of the apples. 

"But I'm glad some things have changed." He smiled softly, placing the red apple in her hand. "And I'm still sorry about that by the way."

She shrugged, turning the apple over in her hands, "You've apologised before, it's in the past."

"I know I just, I want you to know I regret hurting your feelings. I only did it because…" he stopped himself before he said something embarrassing.

But he should have learned by now that Anne wasn't one to give up either. She gave him an eager smile, "Because?" 

His own smile dropped, looking down at his feet before meeting her eyes in a steady look. "Because I like you."

Anne wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly, "We're friends aren't we?"

"No I mean, I think I'm in love with you." Now that he had said it, he was glad he had. "I think I always have been."

That was the first time she'd ever heard anyone say those words to her. She was frozen in the spot, looking at Gilbert's face. He was half smiling, with something like fear behind his eyes.

This was the boy who had driven her mad in her younger years, the boy who challenged her, the boy who cared so much with every fibre of his being about others. 

He hesitantly brushed her cheek, trying to read what was going on in that brilliant mind of hers. She hadn't recoiled from his touch which was a good sign.

"Anne?" He whispered, her silence was always unusual.

Her heart was racing, her mind speeding. She just couldn't believe it. Gilbert Blythe could have any girl in Avonlea but he chose her? Did she choose him?

He could be arrogant and irritating sometimes, but he was also caring, annoyingly smart, passionate...he was...he was _ Gilbert. _

Whenever she thought about her romantic ideal, Gilbert had always been far from the picture. She'd always imagined a dark, mysterious, brooding stranger. But instead, here was the boy with the lopsided grin that drove her utterly insane sometimes. In that moment she realised truly what her heart desired. 

Sometimes it wasn't grand gestures from mysterious strangers, but honest and shy confessions from a friend close to her heart. Chandeliers and marble halls are nice and all, but they'd be nothing if she couldn't share it with someone who made her heart feel light. Someone who knew what she was thinking, who appreciated the little moments, who shared her passion. 

She realised that it was Gilbert that made her feel all these things. 

Something Marilla had said to her a few years ago stuck out in her mind, that when someone loved her, that was when she'd be kissed. But she decided to take matters into her own hands.

She reached up, her hands around Gilbert's neck and crashing her lips against his. He fell back against a tree in surprise, wrapping his arms around her middle to keep him stable as he kissed her back. It wasn't like in the books she'd read, it was somehow better. Because all those years of uncertainty and fear had completely melted. She wondered how she'd resisted this for so many years.

She was the one to pull back first, a nervous laugh escaping. "I never thought anyone would say that, least of all you. But I'm glad it _ was _you, very much."

"Does that mean…?" He brushed a strand of hair from her face.

She nodded, beginning to lean in again, "I think I've been in love with you a lot longer than I realised."

He grabbed her by the waist, picking her up and twirling around. They began laughing, a new chapter in their lives just beginning.

They had entered the orchard as friends, and were leaving as something more. 


End file.
